The present invention relates to connectors for connecting fluid passages through flexible sheet materials. It has particular reference to connectors for connecting fluid coolant lines through impervious chemical protection or immersion suits.
In some environments it is desirable to wear a liquid cooled garment under an outer, impervious garment. For example, military aviators flying over bodies of cold water wear impervious immersion suits for protection against hypothermia in the event of ditching or ejection. An inner liquid cooled garment prevents heat stress that would otherwise be experienced inside the sealed immersion suit. Another example is an impervious chemical proof outer garment that should be accompanied by an inner cooling garment to prevent heat stress. The problem with this arrangement is passing the coolant lines through the outer garment while maintaining its integrity. It should also be possible to disconnect the coolant lines both inside and outside the outer garment quickly and without the loss of coolant.
A standard male and female "zero leak" connector is now available from Life Support Systems, Inc., of Mountain View, Calif., U.S.A. This connector is used for the coupling of personal cooling garments to an external cooling supply. The connector allows the quick coupling of supply and return lines and has valved ports that are self sealing when the connector is separated in order to prevent the loss of coolant. This type of connector is well suited for use as a cooling garment connecting but cannot be used with an impervious outer garment because it does not provide for a sealed passage of the supply and return lines through the outer garment.